The Supreme Council for Sharia in Nigeria, Kaduna State Chapter, has faulted the decision of the United States government under President Donald Trump to designate Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” over the alleged persecution and killing of Christians.
The council described the designation as unfair, biased, and reflective of a one-sided narrative that ignores the complex nature of Nigeria’s security challenges.
It also criticised the Christian Association of Nigeria, accusing it of promoting false narratives of religious persecution that have deepened divisions and inflamed tensions.
Trump had, in a post on his Truth Social platform on Friday, claimed that Christianity was facing an “existential threat” in Nigeria, accusing radical Islamists of orchestrating the “mass slaughter” of Christians across the country.
“Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter. I am hereby making Nigeria a ‘Country of Particular Concern,’” Trump wrote.
The U.S. president also directed Congressmen Riley Moore and Tom Cole, alongside the House Appropriations Committee, to investigate the situation and report back to him.
The move has sparked nationwide debate, with some Christian groups welcoming the decision, while Muslim organisations, including the SCSN, rejected it as biased and politically motivated.
In a statement issued in Kaduna on Saturday, the Secretary of the Council, Hassan AbdulRahman, said the U.S. decision was “unjust” and failed to consider the realities on the ground, noting that Nigeria’s security crisis was driven largely by ethnic, political, and economic factors rather than religion.
“The council is not happy with this development regarding allegations of Christian genocide in Nigeria,” Abdul Rahman said. “The Trump administration should have sought a balanced perspective before jumping to conclusions.”
He argued that portraying Nigeria as a country where Christians are systematically persecuted was misleading and damaging to the nation’s image.
According to him, both Christians and Muslims have suffered from terrorism, banditry, and communal clashes.
“By statistics, it’s clear that Muslims are mostly the victims in various instances,” he said. “Attributing these tensions solely to religion oversimplifies the realities and undermines national unity and peace.”
AbdulRahman accused Western nations — particularly the U.S. — of showing selective empathy, saying international concern tends to rise only when Christians are victims, while violence against Muslims attracts little attention.
“Wherever Muslims are killed, it doesn’t concern the West or the U.S.,” he said. “They always highlight issues affecting Christians while remaining silent on violence against Muslims. This bias breeds distrust and alienation among Muslim communities.”
The council also tackled CAN for its insistence that there is Christian genocide in Nigeria.
The council said, “To CAN, who initiated these lies, they should know that when Nigeria sinks — may Allah forbid — it’s all of us that will bear the brunt,” Abdul Rahman said. “Christians, Muslims, and even pagans will not be spared.”
AbdulRahman stressed that Nigeria’s problems could only be resolved through mutual understanding and cooperation, not through foreign interference or internal mistrust, urging Nigerians to resist attempts by external powers to sow discord.
“Let us not allow foreign lies to divide us,” he added. “Through understanding, dialogue, and cooperation, Nigeria can overcome its challenges and build a peaceful future for all.”
AbdulRahman also urged the Federal Government to take a firmer diplomatic stance on the issue, insisting that mere statements from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were insufficient.
“Our position is clear — we strongly condemn this decision by the U.S.,” he said. “The government must do more than issue statements. Stern action must be taken, even if it means reviewing or cutting diplomatic ties, to show the gravity of the situation.”
